A/N:
This story is going to skip around time wise, so be prepared. Also
the updates will be slow as most chapters will be quite long and I'm
working on another story, but I couldn't hold this idea off any
longer. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter
One: What Has to be Done

It
was cold on Hanging Neck Island. But not cold enough to account for
Kurama's shivering as he walked down the beach, seeking out a
familiar energy. He knew that Yusuke was in his room, and that he
should have gone to the poor boy, consoled him over his mentor's
death, done something to get him ready for the final battle with
Toguro tomorrow. But he had his own battle to think about.

Which
is why he was out here, stubbornly tracking down the energy that was
hopping from place to place about the island--now at the place where
Toguro had killed Genkai, now at the stadium, now at the beach where
he seemed to have settled for a moment. It was unlike Hiei to be so
restless before a battle.

Kurama
made sure Hiei could both feel and hear him approaching before
intruding on him; in this restless state he wouldn't want to startle
the other demon. As a result, Hiei didn't even look up from
rebandaging his arm when Kurama came up behind him. "Your wards
are getting stronger," Kurama observed. "Are you sure you
will be able to control the power you have unleashed?"

"Don't
have a choice, do I?" Hiei responded.

So
typically Hiei. And yet true--none of them had a choice, or they
wouldn't be here. Hiei would master his dragon, Yusuke would defeat
Toguro, Kuwabara would control his spirit sword, and Kurama--would
overcome what had brought him here to Hiei tonight. All because they
had to.

"You're
trembling," Hiei observed. There was an odd flatness in his
voice. "Are you so afraid to die?"

"It
is not death I fear."

"What
is it, then?"

"Karasu,"
Kurama answered quietly.

Hiei
turned to look at his friend. "What has he done to you?"

Kurama
had never felt so weak in his life as when he answered. "Only
words. And an unwanted touch. But they were enough."

Hiei
grunted and turned back around. They were silent for several minutes,
staring out at the rolling tide. "What do you want, fox,"
Hiei asked softly.

"Who
says I want anything?"

"You
do. You reek of it. Tell me what you want."

Kurama
felt himself tremble even more. What he was about to do was another
thing he would not have done if he had any choice in the matter. He
carefully lowered himself to the sand next to Hiei. "I came here
tonight," he began, "to ask a favor of you. An enormous
favor. That only you can grant to me."

"I
am confident of my physical strength. The potion will be enough for
that. It is my emotional strength that has been shattered. Karasu
frightens me, Hiei," he confessed. "I feel like if he
defeated me he would not kill me... he would keep me. He frightens me
in a way no other ever has. I do not like feeling like his prey; yet
a part of me is drawn to him." Hiei looked up sharply, and
Kurama hung his head. "He must know me well to pinpoint my
weakness so exactly. I cannot... cannot fight him. Not on my own. I
have no strength left."

Hiei
sat silent, waiting to see what his friend would ask of him. "I
feel hunted," Kurama continued. "And I feel alone. I need
to not feel those things." Kurama swallowed. "Hiei--I
wanted to ask you to be with me tonight."

Hiei's
eyes widened. He said nothing. "Just for tonight," Kurama
continued, looking miserable. "I need you. I need your
familiarity, your comfort. I need to remember that you loved me once.
If I could be with you-- it would break the spell Karasu's holding
over me. I need your strength this one more time."

Hiei
turned away from him, facing the ocean. "But all that's been
finished and done with, fox," he said hoarsely.

"And
I do not seek to start it again. I am asking you as a friend, Hiei.
To give me something only you can give, because you were once my
lover. I need to remember. And I do not expect you to agree," he
added quieter. "But I had no choice but to ask."

They
sat in silence for a long moment. Kurama watched Hiei, and Hiei
watched the ocean. After a moment Kurama bent his head. "I'll go
if you wish."

There
was more silence. Then Hiei stood. "There's a cave near here,"
he said, not looking at Kurama. "I've been sleeping there some
of the time. We can go there."

Kurama
lifted his head. "Then--"

Hiei
nodded. "For old time's sake." He held a hand down to help
lift Kurama to his feet.

"Thank
you, Hiei," Kurama said, his eyes shining.

Hiei
nodded. "I can give you one night."

"One
night," Kurama agreed. "One night is all I need." They
left unspoken between them the rest of Hiei's statement: one night,
or everything would fall apart again; one night, or they would
remember too much, feel too much. One night--because they had to.

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